Display rail



April 14', 1931. A, HOFFMAN 1,800,386

DI SPLAY RA IL Filed Aug. 28, 1926 gar Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED TEs ANDREW HOFFMAN, OF CHICAGO,.ILLINOIS,'.ASSIGNCR T O ANDREW' I-IOFFMAN MANU F ACTURIN G COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A'CORPORA'IION OF ILLINOIS' DISPLAYVRAIL Application filed August 28,1926. Serial no. 132,138.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved device which may be used to.

picture gallery or similar place. The device may also be used in a great many other different ways.

The device is not only susceptible of being shiftedfrom one location to another or removed entirely from the wall, but is exceedingly simple and inexpensive to manufacture, is equally strong at allpoints throughout its length, and may be applied as an inconspicuous inlay in trim, or in any other desired manner. 7

While theforegoing statements are indicative in a general way of the natureof the inventiomother objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction, arrangement and operation of the improved device.

A preferred form of the invention is presented herein for the purpose of exemplification, but it will-of course be understood that the invention is also susceptible of embodiment in other slightly modified forms coming equally Within the comprehensive scope of the appended claims. 1

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the device appliedtothe trim on a wall; V

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the device, showing the article-supporting member of the device in operative position in the rail;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the article-supporting member While being" removed from the rail; and r Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the articlei supporting member.

' channelfasshown in F 3.

of generally U-shaped cross 'section,and is provided. with upper andl3lowerflanges12 and l3 which extend toward each other; The

article-supporting memben 11 includes a block 14- of generally. rectangular -form which fits within the channel'in therail. The block is of slightly less height than the channel, as; shownin Fig. 2; and is. beveledat 15' in order to permit the lower. end 16 of the block to be swung outwardly when the block is being removed from'the'railin the manner hereinafter described. The block may also be groovedlat 17 in order to clea r the countersunk heads'of the screws 18 used toattach therail to the-trim 19'. Ahook 20 projects outwardlyfrom the ,block through the slot formedbetwee'n the upper and lower flanges of therail, and constitutes suspended. a I lThe-lbwer'flang'e 13 of the rail is'provided in its upper edge'witha shallowfnotch'21' of slightly greater length-than 'the block 14:. The notch-21 serves to permit the'block to be inserted in or removed fro'm'the channel in therail, whenit is desired, for instance,to remove the block from the-rail, it isjfirst shifted into a position opposite the notch 21'. jIt is then raised slightly to "permit-the lower end 16 thereofto clear the bottom of the notch 21, whereupon it may be swung out'of the Whenthe device isin use, the Iw'eightof the-article suspended from the hook'20 is transmitted by the block 14; to the upper flange 12 of the rail, and, inasmuch as such flange and the adjoining portions of the rail are not weakened by the provision of any interruptions therein, but are continuous,the

device is able to support equally heavy'loads at all points throughout the length of the rail, irrespective of whether or not the block 14 happens to be positioned opposite the notch 21 in the lower flange.

The channel rail 10 need not necessarily be in the form of a single strip, but may be made up from several strips arranged together in such a way as'to provide a hollow structure having at the top a downwardly extending.

wall portion which is free from notches and at the bottom an upwardly extending wall portion which is provided at intervals with notches.

I claim: 1. A device of the character described, comprising a hollow rail provided with a slot in the front face thereof and a notch in the lower edge of the slot spaced above the bottom of the rail, and an article-supporting member slidably positioned in the rail, said member being of slightly less height than the distance between the bottom of the notch and the inside top wall of the rail andbeing vertically shiftable in the rail and'removable therefrom upon being raised and tilted while a-position opposite the notch. v 2. A device of the character described, comprising a channel rail provided with upper and lower marginal flanges which extend toward each other and form a partially closed channelof generally rectangular form, and a block-of generally similar form positioned in the channel, said block having a thickness substantially equal to the depth of the channel and having the upper rear corner thereof beveled; and said lower flange having an interruptiontherein of such size as to permit the lower edge of the block to be swung for wardly through the interruption by'reason of'the bevel when the block is in a position opposite the interruption. V 3. A device of the character described, comprising a channel rail provided with :upper and lower marginal flanges which extend toward each other, screws extending through apertures in the back of the rail for attaching the latter, and an article-supportingmember having a base slidably positioned in the channel of the'rail and provided with vertically is spaced bearing projections on the rear face thereof above and below the level of the aper tures in the rail for sliding engagement with the opposite portions of the rail, said base inclusiveeof" the projections having a thick ness substantially equal to thedepth of the channel.

Intestimony whereof I have hereunto sub scribed my name. v I ANDREW HOFFMAN; 

